


like branches in a storm

by vindice



Category: One Piece
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Devotion, F/M, Female Portgas D. Ace, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Modern Setting, Smitten Marco the Phoenix, Unrelated to the MarAce
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2020-12-08 00:36:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20985050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vindice/pseuds/vindice
Summary: She’s always beautiful, even when she doesn’t quite believe it, but right now she’sglowing, thriving,and Marco couldn’t possibly be more in love than he already is.





	like branches in a storm

**Author's Note:**

> I listened to Hoppípolla and Digimon’s Butterfly on repeat while daydreaming about this story and through the writing. I miss my children. Think I’m gonna rewatch Adventure and Tamers soon.

Ace throws her head back, chortling joyously just as everyone else bursts out laughing, and even though Marco is chuckling right alongside them at something Thatch just said, he’s more enthralled by the fine line of her neck, the sight of her short waves bouncing around with the abrupt movement.

She’s mesmerizing in that one moment, with her red rimmed eyes and Marco’s too big flannel thrown over her crop top, buttoned up halfway and covering the evidence of the one who never valued her. Truly enjoying herself after so long of only making do with whatever scraps her heart could manage.

She’s always beautiful, even when she doesn’t quite believe it, but right now she’s  _ glowing, thriving,  _ with her brothers next to her and her parents and Marco’s family surrounding her and filling her with overwhelming support, and Marco couldn’t possibly be more in love than he already is.

She must feel his gaze on her, because she looks at him in an instant and catches him staring across the room. Marco doesn’t mind it in the slightest. This is something that is  _ theirs,  _ always looking for each other, catching the other’s eye to settle their own nerves, to make sure they’re okay, they’re alive, they’re there. So Marco lets the warm feeling blooming on his chest spread throughout his body and breathes, heart skipping a beat as she gifts him with a small sincere smile, mirroring her expression without noticing the softening of his eyes.

_ I love you,  _ his heart keens, aching at what he can’t see and neither forget, at the memory of her tears, of her frustrated, desolated sobs. _ I’m sorry you had to go through this. _

Never in his whole life Marco would have thought a phone call would make his blood freeze and boil at the same time. And yet it did, when Ace called him crying, hurting at four in the morning when she was three hours away from home, when she was supposed to be sound asleep and  _ feeling _ safe.

Had it not been for Bonney calling him hours earlier, telling him something weird was going on with Ace, Marco would have been miles away from the fire of his heart, unable to comfort her and protect her.

He shouldn’t have let her go on that trip, least of all with that undeserving prick. He should have convinced her to stay, or gone with her from the beginning. It would have been so easy to do either, with how fond Ace is of him, how quick she is to forgive his intrusions and to agree to his requests when logic, but work had gotten in the way and she had looked so happy, so hopeful when that asshole had presented her with the opportunity to watch her favorite magician. She and Marco had already gone together when Hawkins had come to Raftel, Marco having gotten a hold of VIPs and M&Gs, nothing but the best for her. But this time Bonney was going to act as well and it had been such a long time since Ace saw her best friend that Marco hadn’t wanted to ruin it for her.

It was clearly a mistake. A mistake caused by his own stupidity that won’t happen again, he will make sure of it.

Marco smiles softly, hopes his eyes are as gentle as the hands that  _ should have _ touched her, while his mind works overtime and plots, his chest festering hatred towards the bastard that dared to lay a finger on her.

Marco will make him pay. He’ll make him regret he had ever even had a fleeting thought about doing what he did. He will make him wish he had never looked in her direction, never even breathed the same air as her.

He’ll do that later, though. And he will take his sweet time, tearing that piece of shit apart with his own two hands. But right now, he needs to be present, he needs to be in the moment.

_ He needs to be close to Ace. _

_ Ace, Ace, Ace. _

He gives in to his instincts and walks towards her, orbiting like the moon does around its earth.

Ace is his Earth. She’s his North Star and his twin flame and everything in between, his heart his soul and the blood running through his veins.

She knows. She must know. But he’ll always be there to remind her of his love, of his unconditional affection and support, and that she doesn’t have to do anything in return, that with only existing she already gives him everything he could ever need.

**Author's Note:**

> The hateful bastard is left ambiguous enough for you to insert anyone of your preference that you would like for Marco to get back at. ;)


End file.
